Automobile towing attachment.



W. H. STGKWELL. AUTOMGILE TOWING ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2z, 1913.

Patented Nov. 10,A 1914 Ven 0!" A- Attorneys sleeve 29slidably mounted upon the rod 12 and held thereto, by a set screw 30 or other equivalent means, and to the bifurcated prol jection 31 of which is pivotally secured the rod 3:7.v which latter is slidably. mounted.v

Awithin a sleeve 33, the end of which is bent iti lao;

33 are I provided with'a plurality of aper-v tures extending .therethrough and which may bev brought into registration for the re- 2 ce tion. ofthe holding pin 39 whereby consi erable range of adjustment ist-had.

'Positionedv upon :the extremities' '14 and l'foi-the" rods 12fand 13, respectively, are the isteering'ingers 49, which include the collars 41;, the set screws 42 extending therethrough, whereby the said collars may be locked in adjusted-position upon the rod 14.

The outer vextrenn'tiesof the lingers 40 ana:` inclined as :1t-43 andthe rollers 44 pret'erably formed of rubber or of some light material, are mounted' upon' the portions 40 and 43 of the fingers' and are adapted to Contact with the wheel tires and provide that there will be no excessive friction exerted therebetween: There are four of the described fingers, there'being two upon each of the rods 14 and 15 and engage ther sides of the automobile or wheels so vthat as the front car turns, the wheelsof the rear oar will be turned the corresponding amount to pre\ ent interference in making curves.

.35.. somewhat modified form of steering finger is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, and includes the sleeve or collar 44 'with the securing set screw 45 extending therethrough and with the finger 46 .and roller 47 disposed at an angle with respect to the transverse axis of the sleeve `or collar opening. The fingers and rollers are offset in one direction only, as illustrated in Fig. 4, apd when positioned upon one of the rods 14 or 15 extend horizontally but obliquely to a right line let fall upon the transverse segmental rod composed of the portions 9 and 15.

The lower central-portion 10 of the mem-I ber 9 is provided with a rearwardly extend-- ing bifurcated portion 48 to which is pivotally secured, the towing rod, the latter including the rearwardly extending bar 49 which fits within a sleeve 50, both of whichare providedwith apertures extending therethrough and held intadjusted relation by means of a 'pin 51. Thus providing means whereby the distance between the axles 4 and 7 may be nicely'regulated so that the steering fingers will properly contact with the sides of the wheel tires. To the rear extremity of the sleeve 50 is pivotally secured, the axle engaging member including the arm 52 and the three quarter sleeve 53. The Sleeve 53 is adapted to extend over and en- Suitable set -screws 54 are provided, whereby the sleeve or clamp 53 may be rigidly locked to the axle and prevented lfrom moving with relation thereto.

With the foregoing apparatus, the distance between the axles of the towed and towing cars may be varied, as may be the distance between the transversely extending bars 9, 12, 13, 14, 15 and the axle 4, thus allowing the attachment to be used in connection with cars having wheels of diderent diameters. When the front and towing car turns a corner or is deflected from its path,

be accordingly deiiected with the result that the 'fingers will engage the front wheels of the rear yand towed car so that the'wheels will be properly steered with respect to the axle 4. 'It is to be noted that the fingers will contact with the wheel upon the inner 1portion of the vehicle and that the fingers adjacent the wheel lwhich negotiatesv the outer part of the turn swings clear of the wheel and allows the same to be turned the proper amount. Should the occasionv arise when it is not desirablenor convenient to attach the towing device to the axle, the same can be omitted and the spring engagin'g members are adequately able to hold the transversely extending bar rigidly in its proper position. lVhen the vvehicle to be' towed is provided with the wire spoke wheels. the .fingers which contact with the moved and the-steering fingers illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 are substituted therefor,

inger interfering with the turning of the wheels by contacting with the wire spokes which are of a bulging and outwardly 'extending nature. 4 f y .is shown at the extreme left in Fig. 1,

rubber roll-er 43, which may be easily retor quick detachment. g.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim is 1. The combination with a towing and towed car, of a towing attachment comprising a segmentahrod member provided with a central downwardly odset portion, means adjustably secured thereto adapted to engage the rear spring of a. towing c ar and to hold said transversely extending member rigidly in position, means engaging the offset central portion of the said transvesely'exouter portions of the wheels 8 8, are reso that when the cars negotiate a turn, there; will heno likelihood of the outer steeringv gage theaxle 7,' as illustrated in Fig. 2.'.

` the transversely' extending rod member will (the terminal 43, is covered-with a removable n l moved and renewed, as the same is mounted ten ing rod member extending rearwardly tnfeirom and adapted to engage their-ont arie of the towed car, and steering fingers adjnstabiy mounted upon the outer extremities of said transversely extending rod member engaging the sides of the tires of the front wheels of the towed car to steer said whe'eis. i

in an automobile towing and steering device, the combination of 'a transversely extending central rod member; dollars adjustabiy secured thereto, arms pivotally secured to said collars and provided with means for rigidly engaging the rear springs ot the towing car, to" thereby hold said transverselyextending rod member above the ground spaceda distance from the back wheels of the towing car and rigidly held so positioned., a telescoping towingrod pivotally engaging the said transversely extend ing rod member, means for locking said rod at adjusted iengths,'means secured at the estreme end of said towing rod adapted to detachably engage the front axle of the towed ear, coliars disposed upon the outer extremitiesl of the said transversely extending rod member, rearwardly extending fingers carried thereby and providedwith ineiined ends, and anti-trictional rollers mounted upon the said fingers and adapted to engage the towed car'tres of the fron wheeis tor'the, steering thereof.

3. In an automobile towing and steering device, the .combinationV of a transversely extending segmentai rod member, means pivotaiy and adjnstabiy engaging the same adapted to rigidly and detachably engage the rear springs of the towing car and adapted to hold the axles of the towed and towing cars in spaced relation, the resilient fingers steering thek front wheelsv of the towed car. 1.

4. A towing attachment for vehicles,ci mprising a rlgid structure, means carried thereby for securing it to a towing vehicle, means carried thereby for securing it to a towed vehicle, and rearwardly-extending fingers carried therebyand provided with inclined ends adapted to engage the front wheel of the towed vehicle for-the steering thereof.

5. A towlng attachment for vehicles, 4comprismg a rigid structure, means carried thereby for securing it to a towing vehicle,

means carried thereby for securing it to a towed vehicle, rearwardly extending fingers carried thereby and' provided with inclined ends, and anti-friction rollers mounted upon said fingers adapted to engage the -front wheel of the towed car for the steering thereof.

' 6. A towing attachment for vehicles, comprising a substantially rigid structure, means carried thereby for securing it to a, towing vehicle,- means carried thereby for securing it to a towed vehicle, and rearvardlyl extending diverging fingers carried by. said structure adapted -to engage the front wheel of the towed car for the steering thereof. v

7. A towing attachment for vehicles,com prising a' substantially rigid structure, means carried thereby for securing it to the rear spring of the towing vehicle, means carried thereby for securing it to the towed.

vehicle, and means carried thereby engag" ing the front wheel of the towed vehicle for the steering thereof. I

8. A' towing attachment for vehicles,com prising a cross bar', means adjustably .secured thereto adapted to engage the towlng vehicle, rearwardly extending fingers adjustably mounted on the said cross bar, adapted to Contact with the front wheels of the towed vehicle for the steering thereof, and a member carried by the said cross bar adapted to engage the towed vehlcle.

n testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. STOCKWELL. vWitnesses:

SELrNA WILLsoN, I. E. SIMPSON. 

